Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-09-18DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0146
Philip Bacchus, Wanda Christ, Arian Frisell, Nina Greilert-Norin, Ulrika Marking, Sebastian Havervall, Felicia Leopoldson, Anna-Clara Markström, Alexander Potapeiko, David Gisselsson, Charlotte Thålin, Jonas Klingström, Andreas Bråve, Kim Blom, Ramona Groenheit
An important aspect of microbiological surveillance is the ability to access live viruses for microneutralization assays, which enables the study of viral characteristics and mechanisms in vitro and production of positive controls for diagnostic methods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Health Agency of Sweden established a protocol for the rapid collection of clinical samples and subsequent isolation of novel virus variants.
{"title":"Logistics for Rapid Isolation of Viruses From Humans.","authors":"Philip Bacchus, Wanda Christ, Arian Frisell, Nina Greilert-Norin, Ulrika Marking, Sebastian Havervall, Felicia Leopoldson, Anna-Clara Markström, Alexander Potapeiko, David Gisselsson, Charlotte Thålin, Jonas Klingström, Andreas Bråve, Kim Blom, Ramona Groenheit","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0146","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An important aspect of microbiological surveillance is the ability to access live viruses for microneutralization assays, which enables the study of viral characteristics and mechanisms in vitro and production of positive controls for diagnostic methods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Health Agency of Sweden established a protocol for the rapid collection of clinical samples and subsequent isolation of novel virus variants.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":"22 5","pages":"394-397"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142463830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-08-23DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0148
Samata Salim Al Dowaiki, Deirdre Morley, Iris Agreiter, Jocelyn J Herstein, Honey Vincent, James Woo
A high-level isolation unit (HLIU) is a specially designed biocontainment unit for suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious diseases. For most HLIUs, maintaining readiness during times of inactivity is a challenge. In this case study, we describe a checklist approach to assess HLIU readiness to rapidly operate upon activation. This checklist includes readiness criteria in several domains, such as infrastructure, human resources, and material supplies, that are required to safely activate the unit at any time. The checklist audit tool was derived from a novel activation readiness checklist published by the biocontainment unit at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. It was then adapted for the Irish healthcare setting and implemented at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Ireland's current isolation facility. Results from the audit were also used to inform recommendations for the construction of a new HLIU to open in 2025. The audit tool is user friendly, practical, and focuses on the essential elements of readiness to ensure a successful rapid operation.
高级别隔离单位(HLIU)是专门为疑似或确诊的高危传染病设计的生物隔离单位。对于大多数高级隔离单位来说,在闲置期间保持准备状态是一项挑战。在本案例研究中,我们介绍了一种核对表方法,用于评估 HLIU 在启动后快速运行的准备状态。该清单包括基础设施、人力资源和物资供应等多个领域的准备就绪标准,这些标准是随时安全启动部队所必需的。核对表审核工具源自马里兰州巴尔的摩市约翰霍普金斯医院生物安全单位发布的一份新颖的启动准备核对表。随后,该工具针对爱尔兰的医疗环境进行了调整,并在爱尔兰目前的隔离设施 Mater Misericordiae 大学医院实施。审计结果还被用于为将于 2025 年启用的新 HLIU 的建设提供建议。该审核工具使用方便、实用,重点关注确保成功快速运行的基本准备要素。
{"title":"Implementation of a High-Level Isolation Unit Readiness Checklist in the Irish Setting.","authors":"Samata Salim Al Dowaiki, Deirdre Morley, Iris Agreiter, Jocelyn J Herstein, Honey Vincent, James Woo","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0148","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A high-level isolation unit (HLIU) is a specially designed biocontainment unit for suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious diseases. For most HLIUs, maintaining readiness during times of inactivity is a challenge. In this case study, we describe a checklist approach to assess HLIU readiness to rapidly operate upon activation. This checklist includes readiness criteria in several domains, such as infrastructure, human resources, and material supplies, that are required to safely activate the unit at any time. The checklist audit tool was derived from a novel activation readiness checklist published by the biocontainment unit at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. It was then adapted for the Irish healthcare setting and implemented at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Ireland's current isolation facility. Results from the audit were also used to inform recommendations for the construction of a new HLIU to open in 2025. The audit tool is user friendly, practical, and focuses on the essential elements of readiness to ensure a successful rapid operation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"S122-S130"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142043923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-08-30DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0167
Alejandra Alonso, Jonathan Cohen, Joby Cole, Marieke Emonts, Natasha Karunaharan, Chris Meadows, Geraldine O'Hara, Stephen Owens, Brendan Payne, David Porter, Libuse Ratcliffe, Andrew Riordan, Matthias Ludwig Schmid, Ruchi Sinha, Anne Tunbridge, Elizabeth Whittaker, Mike Beadsworth, Jake Dunning
Infectious disease physicians in England have been diagnosing and managing occasional cases of viral hemorrhagic fever since 1971, including the United Kingdom's first case of Ebola virus disease in 1976. Specialist isolation facilities to provide safe and effective care have been present since that time. Following the emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, and the avian influenza A (H7N9) outbreak in 2013, and the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, clinical and public health preparedness and response pathways in England have been strengthened for these types of diseases, now called high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). The HCID program, led by NHS England and Public Health England between 2016 and 2018, helped to deliver these enhancements, which have since been used on multiple occasions for new UK cases and outbreaks of MERS, mpox, avian influenza, and Lassa fever. Additionally, HCID pathways were activated for COVID-19 during the first 3 months of 2020, before the pandemic had been declared and little was known about COVID-19 but HCID status had been assigned temporarily to COVID-19 as a precaution. The HCID program also led to the commissioning of a network of new airborne HCID treatment centers in England, to supplement the existing network of contact HCID treatment centers, which includes the United Kingdom's only 2 high-level isolation units. In this case study, the authors describe the airborne and contact HCID treatment center networks in England, including their formation and structures, their approach to safe and effective clinical management of patients with HCIDs in the United Kingdom, and challenges they may face going forward.
{"title":"Clinical Management of Hospitalized Patients With High-Consequence Infectious Diseases in England.","authors":"Alejandra Alonso, Jonathan Cohen, Joby Cole, Marieke Emonts, Natasha Karunaharan, Chris Meadows, Geraldine O'Hara, Stephen Owens, Brendan Payne, David Porter, Libuse Ratcliffe, Andrew Riordan, Matthias Ludwig Schmid, Ruchi Sinha, Anne Tunbridge, Elizabeth Whittaker, Mike Beadsworth, Jake Dunning","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0167","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infectious disease physicians in England have been diagnosing and managing occasional cases of viral hemorrhagic fever since 1971, including the United Kingdom's first case of Ebola virus disease in 1976. Specialist isolation facilities to provide safe and effective care have been present since that time. Following the emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, and the avian influenza A (H7N9) outbreak in 2013, and the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, clinical and public health preparedness and response pathways in England have been strengthened for these types of diseases, now called high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). The HCID program, led by NHS England and Public Health England between 2016 and 2018, helped to deliver these enhancements, which have since been used on multiple occasions for new UK cases and outbreaks of MERS, mpox, avian influenza, and Lassa fever. Additionally, HCID pathways were activated for COVID-19 during the first 3 months of 2020, before the pandemic had been declared and little was known about COVID-19 but HCID status had been assigned temporarily to COVID-19 as a precaution. The HCID program also led to the commissioning of a network of new airborne HCID treatment centers in England, to supplement the existing network of contact HCID treatment centers, which includes the United Kingdom's only 2 high-level isolation units. In this case study, the authors describe the airborne and contact HCID treatment center networks in England, including their formation and structures, their approach to safe and effective clinical management of patients with HCIDs in the United Kingdom, and challenges they may face going forward.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"S50-S65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142106888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-08-21DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0163
Lauren Wiesner, Jade Flinn, Brooke Brewer, Aaron Resnick, Sharon Vanairsdale Carrasco, Brian T Garibaldi, David A Wohl, Bethany Little, Natalie A Schnell, Glenn Wortmann, Craig DeAtley, Shane B Kappler, William A Fischer
In response to the growing number of outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, the US Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has embarked on a plan to improve and expand special pathogen patient care capabilities. To achieve this, ASPR is developing a coordinated network of Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) to serve as state-of-the-art facilities staffed by a highly trained workforce to care for and manage special pathogen patients across the lifespan. The RESPTC network represents the operational arm of a broader US National Special Pathogen System of care to prevent and prepare for the next infectious disease outbreak. RESPTCs are strategically located in every region across the country and form a network linking local and regional healthcare partners to enhance national preparedness through training in best practices for detection, isolation, and treatment of individuals suspected of or known to be infected with a special pathogen. This local, regional, and national network is also designed to lead a coordinated response that includes the dissemination of accurate and trustworthy information to responders and the public. The overarching goal of the RESPTCs is to serve as a valuable resource for clinical care, training, and material support to meet current and future major infectious diseases challenges. In this case study, 2 new RESPTCs, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the University of North Carolina, describe their experiences related to designing a biocontainment unit, creating clinical teams, building staff resiliency, receiving mentoring from regional RESPTC partners, and developing opportunities for innovation.
{"title":"Building Clinical Care Capacity for Patients With Special Pathogens in Advance of the Next Outbreak.","authors":"Lauren Wiesner, Jade Flinn, Brooke Brewer, Aaron Resnick, Sharon Vanairsdale Carrasco, Brian T Garibaldi, David A Wohl, Bethany Little, Natalie A Schnell, Glenn Wortmann, Craig DeAtley, Shane B Kappler, William A Fischer","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0163","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In response to the growing number of outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, the US Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has embarked on a plan to improve and expand special pathogen patient care capabilities. To achieve this, ASPR is developing a coordinated network of Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) to serve as state-of-the-art facilities staffed by a highly trained workforce to care for and manage special pathogen patients across the lifespan. The RESPTC network represents the operational arm of a broader US National Special Pathogen System of care to prevent and prepare for the next infectious disease outbreak. RESPTCs are strategically located in every region across the country and form a network linking local and regional healthcare partners to enhance national preparedness through training in best practices for detection, isolation, and treatment of individuals suspected of or known to be infected with a special pathogen. This local, regional, and national network is also designed to lead a coordinated response that includes the dissemination of accurate and trustworthy information to responders and the public. The overarching goal of the RESPTCs is to serve as a valuable resource for clinical care, training, and material support to meet current and future major infectious diseases challenges. In this case study, 2 new RESPTCs, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the University of North Carolina, describe their experiences related to designing a biocontainment unit, creating clinical teams, building staff resiliency, receiving mentoring from regional RESPTC partners, and developing opportunities for innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"S66-S75"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142008744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-10-04DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0158
Sophia Y Shea, Sara K Donovan, Elizabeth L Beam, Jocelyn J Herstein, Christopher J Kratochvil, John J Lowe, Abigail E Lowe
In recent history, outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) have raised health security concerns among the global community. As HCIDs continue to emerge, public health systems around the world experience the burden of implementing adequate preparedness and response measures to ensure the safety and security of their populations. HCID outbreak response efforts have highlighted the need for specialized training in safety and infection prevention and control for frontline workers who may encounter ill patients. The COVID-19 Mission Prep program for National Disaster Medical System personnel and the Deployment Safety Academy for Field Experiences (D-SAFE) program for US Public Health Service officers are 2 examples of virtual training programs that successfully provided foundational education on infection prevention and control and safety as well as deployable just-in-time training during HCID outbreak response efforts. The methods used to develop these training programs can be adopted by other countries to enhance the global outbreak response infrastructure for the next HCID event. The global outbreak response infrastructure demands investments in training as a preparedness measure, which will ultimately lead to safer, more coordinated outbreak response efforts with competent responders.
{"title":"Developing Training in Response to High-Consequence Infectious Diseases and Preparedness Measures for the Future.","authors":"Sophia Y Shea, Sara K Donovan, Elizabeth L Beam, Jocelyn J Herstein, Christopher J Kratochvil, John J Lowe, Abigail E Lowe","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0158","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0158","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent history, outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) have raised health security concerns among the global community. As HCIDs continue to emerge, public health systems around the world experience the burden of implementing adequate preparedness and response measures to ensure the safety and security of their populations. HCID outbreak response efforts have highlighted the need for specialized training in safety and infection prevention and control for frontline workers who may encounter ill patients. The COVID-19 Mission Prep program for National Disaster Medical System personnel and the Deployment Safety Academy for Field Experiences (D-SAFE) program for US Public Health Service officers are 2 examples of virtual training programs that successfully provided foundational education on infection prevention and control and safety as well as deployable just-in-time training during HCID outbreak response efforts. The methods used to develop these training programs can be adopted by other countries to enhance the global outbreak response infrastructure for the next HCID event. The global outbreak response infrastructure demands investments in training as a preparedness measure, which will ultimately lead to safer, more coordinated outbreak response efforts with competent responders.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"347-352"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142375321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-09-18DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0130
Leigh Ellyn Preston, Andre Berro, Deborah Christensen, Bukunmi Gesinde, Arnold Vang, Candice Gilliland, Kelly J Epps, Erin Rothney, Matt Palo, Andrew D Klevos, James R Cope, Zoe D'Angelo, John Olmstead, Emma Shearer, Bhavna Guduguntla, Josie Decherd, Clive Brown, Alida M Gertz
In the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented public health measures were designed and implemented to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. On January 26, 2021, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff began daily audits of documents of arriving passengers at 18 US international ports of entry to ensure documentation of either a negative predeparture antigen or nucleic acid amplification test result for SARS-CoV-2 or recent recovery from COVID-19. This case study briefly describes the results of those audits. The CDC found a very low rate of issues overall. Of the 483,251 passengers selected for audit, 2,142 (0.44%) had issues with their COVID-19 test documentation and 1,182 (0.24%) provided documentation of recovery from COVID-19 rather than a negative test result. The low rate of issues noted during traveler audits indicated airlines were largely compliant with the order. However, the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infections within the United States was high during much of this period, which suggests that implementing a predeparture testing requirement earlier in the pandemic might have had more impact on spread. Digital solutions could reduce the burden of similar interventions in the future on airlines, public health authorities, and other partners.
{"title":"Estimated Airline Compliance With Predeparture SARS-CoV-2 Testing for Passengers on Flights to the United States, January 2021 to June 2022.","authors":"Leigh Ellyn Preston, Andre Berro, Deborah Christensen, Bukunmi Gesinde, Arnold Vang, Candice Gilliland, Kelly J Epps, Erin Rothney, Matt Palo, Andrew D Klevos, James R Cope, Zoe D'Angelo, John Olmstead, Emma Shearer, Bhavna Guduguntla, Josie Decherd, Clive Brown, Alida M Gertz","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0130","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0130","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented public health measures were designed and implemented to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. On January 26, 2021, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff began daily audits of documents of arriving passengers at 18 US international ports of entry to ensure documentation of either a negative predeparture antigen or nucleic acid amplification test result for SARS-CoV-2 or recent recovery from COVID-19. This case study briefly describes the results of those audits. The CDC found a very low rate of issues overall. Of the 483,251 passengers selected for audit, 2,142 (0.44%) had issues with their COVID-19 test documentation and 1,182 (0.24%) provided documentation of recovery from COVID-19 rather than a negative test result. The low rate of issues noted during traveler audits indicated airlines were largely compliant with the order. However, the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infections within the United States was high during much of this period, which suggests that implementing a predeparture testing requirement earlier in the pandemic might have had more impact on spread. Digital solutions could reduce the burden of similar interventions in the future on airlines, public health authorities, and other partners.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":"22 5","pages":"398-401"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11498897/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142463827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Senait Tekeste Fekadu, Abrham Lilay Gebrewahid, Mary Stephen, Ibrahima Sonko, Wessam Mankoula, Yan Kawe, Zewdu Assefa, Olaolu Aderinola, Mathew T M Kol, Liz McGinley, Emily Collard, Tracy Ilunga, Vanessa Middlemiss, Paul Furtado, Timm Schneider, Alle Baba Dieng, Youssouf B Kanouté, Otim Patrick Ramadan, Alice Lado, Chol Thabo Yur, Allan Mpairwe, Erika Garcia, Flavia Semedo, Jian Li, Womi Eteng, Ishata N Conteh, Ariane Halm, Chuck Menchion, Emily Rosenfeld, Merawi Aragaw, Virgil Lokossou, Fiona Braka, Abdou Salam Gueye
National public health emergency operations centers (PHEOCs) serve as hubs for coordinating information and resources for effective emergency management. In the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, a simulation exercise is 1 of 4 components that can be used to test the functionality of a country's emergency response capabilities in a simulated situation. To test the functionality of PHEOCs in World Health Organization African Region member states, a regional functional exercise simulating an Ebola virus disease outbreak was conducted. The public health actions taken in response to the simulated outbreak were evaluated against the exercise objectives. Thematic analysis was conducted to summarize key strengths and areas for improvement. From December 6 to 7, 2022, more than 1,000 representatives from 36 of the 47 African Region member states participated in the exercise from their respective PHEOCs. Approximately 95% of the 461 participants polled agreed with the positive responses to the postexercise survey. More than half of the PHEOC participants were able to test their existing emergency preparedness and response plans and became familiar with the expected roles to be fulfilled during an event. Of the participants who responded to the survey, over 90% reported that the exercise helped them understand their roles during emergency management. The exercise met its objectives and provided an opportunity to test the functionality of PHEOCs using realistic scenarios, and it helped participants understand existing response systems and procedures. However, the exercise also revealed areas for improvement in terms of the timing and preparation of participants. We recommend conducting functional exercises at the regional and national levels at least once a year, early or midyear, to allow many stakeholders to take part in the exercise. Moreover, there is a need to train country-level evaluators and controllers in designing and conducting functional exercises.
{"title":"Functional Simulation Exercise on Functionality of National Public Health Emergency Operations Centers in the African Region: Review of Strengths and Gaps.","authors":"Senait Tekeste Fekadu, Abrham Lilay Gebrewahid, Mary Stephen, Ibrahima Sonko, Wessam Mankoula, Yan Kawe, Zewdu Assefa, Olaolu Aderinola, Mathew T M Kol, Liz McGinley, Emily Collard, Tracy Ilunga, Vanessa Middlemiss, Paul Furtado, Timm Schneider, Alle Baba Dieng, Youssouf B Kanouté, Otim Patrick Ramadan, Alice Lado, Chol Thabo Yur, Allan Mpairwe, Erika Garcia, Flavia Semedo, Jian Li, Womi Eteng, Ishata N Conteh, Ariane Halm, Chuck Menchion, Emily Rosenfeld, Merawi Aragaw, Virgil Lokossou, Fiona Braka, Abdou Salam Gueye","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0104","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>National public health emergency operations centers (PHEOCs) serve as hubs for coordinating information and resources for effective emergency management. In the <i>International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework,</i> a simulation exercise is 1 of 4 components that can be used to test the functionality of a country's emergency response capabilities in a simulated situation. To test the functionality of PHEOCs in World Health Organization African Region member states, a regional functional exercise simulating an Ebola virus disease outbreak was conducted. The public health actions taken in response to the simulated outbreak were evaluated against the exercise objectives. Thematic analysis was conducted to summarize key strengths and areas for improvement. From December 6 to 7, 2022, more than 1,000 representatives from 36 of the 47 African Region member states participated in the exercise from their respective PHEOCs. Approximately 95% of the 461 participants polled agreed with the positive responses to the postexercise survey. More than half of the PHEOC participants were able to test their existing emergency preparedness and response plans and became familiar with the expected roles to be fulfilled during an event. Of the participants who responded to the survey, over 90% reported that the exercise helped them understand their roles during emergency management. The exercise met its objectives and provided an opportunity to test the functionality of PHEOCs using realistic scenarios, and it helped participants understand existing response systems and procedures. However, the exercise also revealed areas for improvement in terms of the timing and preparation of participants. We recommend conducting functional exercises at the regional and national levels at least once a year, early or midyear, to allow many stakeholders to take part in the exercise. Moreover, there is a need to train country-level evaluators and controllers in designing and conducting functional exercises.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":"22 5","pages":"353-362"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142463829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Justin Chan, Eileen F Searle, Dmitry Khodyakov, Logan Denson, Andrea Echeverri, Edward M Browne, Yvonne Chiarelli, Linda L Dickey, Douglas S Erickson, Jonathan Flannery, Lewis J Kaplan, Sarah Markovitz, Saskia V Popescu, Erica S Shenoy
Patients with suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) may present for care at any acute care facility. However, there are limited data to inform recommendations for the design, maintenance, and operation of isolation spaces for patients with suspected or confirmed HCIDs. To address this gap, we developed consensus statements by convening a group of 29 subject matter experts to participate in a modified Delphi process facilitated by a validated tool (the RAND-developed ExpertLens system). The subject matter experts participated in 3 consensus rounds, providing feedback and rating the appropriateness of 36 draft consensus statements. These draft statements were then revised based on their feedback. As a result, we developed 36 consensus statements addressing 5 domains: (1) patient room physical space, (2) doors and windows, (3) air handling, (4) electrical and plumbing, and (5) soiled utility rooms and waste management. These statements could inform the approaches of frontline acute care facilities when building new spaces or modifying existing spaces to enable appropriate HCID patient isolation and care.
{"title":"They Will Come, You Must Build It: A Modified Delphi Process Applied to Preparing Acute Care Facilities Infrastructure for High-Consequence Infectious Diseases.","authors":"Justin Chan, Eileen F Searle, Dmitry Khodyakov, Logan Denson, Andrea Echeverri, Edward M Browne, Yvonne Chiarelli, Linda L Dickey, Douglas S Erickson, Jonathan Flannery, Lewis J Kaplan, Sarah Markovitz, Saskia V Popescu, Erica S Shenoy","doi":"10.1089/hs.2024.0013","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2024.0013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patients with suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) may present for care at any acute care facility. However, there are limited data to inform recommendations for the design, maintenance, and operation of isolation spaces for patients with suspected or confirmed HCIDs. To address this gap, we developed consensus statements by convening a group of 29 subject matter experts to participate in a modified Delphi process facilitated by a validated tool (the RAND-developed ExpertLens system). The subject matter experts participated in 3 consensus rounds, providing feedback and rating the appropriateness of 36 draft consensus statements. These draft statements were then revised based on their feedback. As a result, we developed 36 consensus statements addressing 5 domains: (1) patient room physical space, (2) doors and windows, (3) air handling, (4) electrical and plumbing, and (5) soiled utility rooms and waste management. These statements could inform the approaches of frontline acute care facilities when building new spaces or modifying existing spaces to enable appropriate HCID patient isolation and care.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":"22 5","pages":"384-393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142463840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-08-21DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0159
Hiromi Hibino, Jocelyn J Herstein, Katie L Stern, Yukimasa Matsuzawa, Shinichiro Moroika, Jun Sugihara, Teiji Takei, Norio Omagari, Adam Tewell, Richard C Hunt, Vikramjit Mukherjee, John J Lowe
{"title":"Strengthening International Collaboration for Global Health Security: The Role of the Infectious Disease Emergency Specialist Training Program and NETEC Partnership.","authors":"Hiromi Hibino, Jocelyn J Herstein, Katie L Stern, Yukimasa Matsuzawa, Shinichiro Moroika, Jun Sugihara, Teiji Takei, Norio Omagari, Adam Tewell, Richard C Hunt, Vikramjit Mukherjee, John J Lowe","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0159","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0159","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"S136-S139"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142008745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-01Epub Date: 2024-08-23DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0161
Alexander Uhrig, Edson Rwagasore, Laura Dorothea Liebau, David Villinger, Maximilian Gertler, Florence Masaisa, Leopold Bitunguhari, Turid Piening, Thomas Paerisch, Thomas Cronen, Menelas Nkeshimana, Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Miriam Songa Stegemann
Rwanda is a country in East Africa, a region characterized by highly mobile populations and outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases occurring on a regular basis. To increase the level of outbreak preparedness in the region, the Rwandan government and the German Ministry of Health signed a joint agreement to construct a new high-level isolation unit in Rwanda, the first in East Africa, and implement a training program for Rwandan healthcare workers to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for medical management of patients under high-level isolation conditions, including intensive care treatment. To better understand the scope and format of the planned training program, a needs assessment was performed based on findings from a standardized survey of 4 intensive care units in Rwanda as well as observations from 2 members of a German high-level isolation unit who completed clinical internships at Rwandan hospitals. In this case study, we describe the necessary steps to promote the sustainability and capabilities of the new high-level isolation unit in Kigali and ensure the successful implementation of the training program.
{"title":"Building a High-Level Isolation Unit in Rwanda and Establishing a Training Program for the Medical Management of Patients With High-Consequence Infectious Diseases.","authors":"Alexander Uhrig, Edson Rwagasore, Laura Dorothea Liebau, David Villinger, Maximilian Gertler, Florence Masaisa, Leopold Bitunguhari, Turid Piening, Thomas Paerisch, Thomas Cronen, Menelas Nkeshimana, Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Miriam Songa Stegemann","doi":"10.1089/hs.2023.0161","DOIUrl":"10.1089/hs.2023.0161","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rwanda is a country in East Africa, a region characterized by highly mobile populations and outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases occurring on a regular basis. To increase the level of outbreak preparedness in the region, the Rwandan government and the German Ministry of Health signed a joint agreement to construct a new high-level isolation unit in Rwanda, the first in East Africa, and implement a training program for Rwandan healthcare workers to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for medical management of patients under high-level isolation conditions, including intensive care treatment. To better understand the scope and format of the planned training program, a needs assessment was performed based on findings from a standardized survey of 4 intensive care units in Rwanda as well as observations from 2 members of a German high-level isolation unit who completed clinical internships at Rwandan hospitals. In this case study, we describe the necessary steps to promote the sustainability and capabilities of the new high-level isolation unit in Kigali and ensure the successful implementation of the training program.</p>","PeriodicalId":12955,"journal":{"name":"Health Security","volume":" ","pages":"S113-S121"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142043922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}